Method of and apparatus for controlling the distribution of air



Jan. 30, 1945. w W. KENNEDY 2,368,363

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DISTRIBUTION OF AIR Filed Sept. 22, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l j/ w U) ,2 Q all] 9 H a/lfer M Kennedy BY FAA W, a? 3% ATTORN Y5 Jan. 30, 1945.

w. w. KENNEDY 2,3683% METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DISTRIBUTION OF AIR Filed Sept. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7- 25 4 \kqx 1 an I u i I INVENTOR Wa/Ler 14 Kennedy BY ATTORNE 5 Jan.

1945? w. w. KENNEDY 2,368,363

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DISTRIBUTION OF AIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 22, 1941 z/ 7 14 I m 23 -1 Lg f /Z A INVENTOR Li a/Zer. W Kennedy BY W44 QMLM ATTO/RN Ys Patented Jan. 30, 1945 UJM E PATENT OFFICE METHOD or 1mnj APPARATUS .Foa cow 'rnoLLmc 'r'nc nrsrnmurron OF AIR Walter W. Kennedy, Rockford, Ill.,assignor to Barber-Colman-Company', Rockford, 111.. a corparadox: of Illinois Application September 22. 1941. Serial No. 411,826 '20 Claims. (Cl. 98-115) fumes or gases produced as an incident to the The opposite side walls of the spinhoods are provided with openings closed by sliding doors so as to permit of I formation of the rayon threads;

access to the interiorof the hoods, and'usually the hoods are arranged in parallel rows spaced some distance apart. To provide for the supply and effectual distribution of fresh, cool air along the sides of the hoods and to the space therebe tween is an important object of-the present invention.

v Another object is to supply cool, freshair'to' the side of the spin hoods in a mannersuch as to prevent or minimize the escape of injurious gases from the hood. r

A further object is to provide for the supply of a large volume of fresh, cool air to the center of the space between parallel machines without disturbing the supply and distribution of air over the sides of the hoods. In the attainment of the foregoing objects cool, fresh air is supplied by means of ducts extending along the tops of the hoods and the air is discharged from these ducts at longitudinally spaced intervals downwardly over the sides of the hoods and also outwardly in a generally horizontal direction for conditioning the space between the hoods. An important object in the invention resides in the provision of anair distributing unit .of a simple and. advantageous character capable of dividing a body-of air issuing upwardly from a supply duct into separate streams and controlling the latter 'for' distribution both downwardly e and outwardly in the manner set forth.

Another object is to provide in an air distributing terminal unitarranged for the discharge of air horizontally outward therefrom, a novel a and effectual means controlling the direction of flow.-

The objects of the invention thus generally stated, together with other and ancillary advan- 60 tages, are attained by the constructionand arrangement shown byway of illustration in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof; in

which: I a i 1 I Figure: 1 is a vertical sectional view 'showing schematically two laterally spacedrayon machines with parallel spin hoods equipped with airsupp ducts and air distributing unitsyand also illustrating generally the control and distribution of the air in accordance with my invention. I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing the paths ,ofthe air flowing from each unit in a horizontal direction,'one' of the distributing units being shown in horizontal section.

,Fi 3 is a side elevational view of the unit. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the base portion of the unit.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately in the, plane of line 5--5 of I Fig. 3'but on a larger scale.

Fig. 6 is a similar section taken approximately 90 degrees from that of Fig. 5. Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, I haveshown two spin hoods A arranged as in a typical installation, in parallel relation and spaced apart a distance of approximately twenty feet from centerto center. somewhat outwardly sloping side walls provided 5 with openings for convenient access to the interiors of the hoods, which openings 0 are closed by sliding doors D. For the withdrawal of fumes,

an exhaust duct-E extends along the upper portion of each hood, andadditionalexhaust ducts 0 E and E are provided for-the withdrawal of air from the sides of the machines, below the hoods.

The exhaust ducts E are located at the inner edges of catwaiks F along the lower sides of each of the spin hoods, and the ducts'E along .35 the lower side edges of a central catwalk G. The

latter is preferably constructed to permit the fiow of air downwardly to the space between the central catwalk G and the main floor H. I

In the operation of the rayon machines a rela- 40 tivelyhigh temperature is maintained within the) spin hoods. Also acid fumes are formed which, if permitted to escape, are very injurious tomachine attendants. While. the hoods are intended.

to confine the fumes for Withdrawal by the"ex-,

45 haust ducts E, the necessity forpermitting access I to the interiors-of the hoods requires the provision ofthe doors D which mustgbe opened from time to time, thus rendering theexhaust means gases. With the foregoing in view, the present invention provides means cooperating with the exhaust-ducts to oppose the escape of the inju- .rious fumes or gases from the interiors of the 'hoodswhen-the doors thereof are opened to an 5 extent suiiicient' to nullify the effect of the ex- Each hood has downwardly and ineffectual to prevent the escape of the harmful.

haust means. More specifically, the invention provides for the supply and distribution of blankets B of cool, fresh air over the sides of the hoods and at low velocity so that even when the doors are opened from time to time, as required, the escape of dangerous gases is effectually prevented. At the same time air is discharged horizontally outward in streams S to condition the space between the machines for the safety and comfort of the attendants and such horizontal discharge is effected in such a way as to avoid any disturbance of the slowly descending air blankets at the sides of the hoods.

In the embodiment of the invention herein shown by way of example, the upper portion of each of the spin hoods A has incorporated therein an air supply duct 6 extending horizontally lengthwise of the hood and communicating with a suitable source of cool, fresh air. From these ducts the air discharged at spaced intervals and at a velocity of approximately 1800 feet per minute is divided at each point of discharge into separate streams some of which are directed downwardly over the doors D, and the others directed horizontally outward at a relatively high velocity, finally descending by gravity into the central portion of the space between the machines.

To control the air in its discharge from the supply duct 8, I have provided outlet means preferably in the form of -air distributing terminal units 7, These units are mounted upon the tops of each of the spin hoods at suitably spaced intervals, two only being shown (Fig. 2) in the case of each hood. Each unit comprises (Figs. 3 to 6) a base in and a generally frusto-conical superstructure or bonnet II. The base has a vertical neck 12 providing a throat communicating with an opening in the top of the duct 6, and an outwardly flaring collar l8 above which is mounted the bonnet H.

It is the function of the bonnet H of each unit to divide the ascending air stream and, in cooperation with the neck l2 and collar l8, to control the discharge of the separated portions of air downwardly over the doors D in the sides of the hoods (Figs. 1, 2 and and also generally horizontally outward in a direction away from the hoods. As herein shown, the bonnet ll comprises a bottom plate I4 disposed above and in spaced relation to the collar [3 of the base iii, an imperforate top plate l5 of relatively small diameter, and a conical side wall i8 extending outwardly and downwardly from the peripheral edge of the top plate to the peripheral edge of the bottom plate. The side wall and top plate may be formed from a single piece of metal.

The bottom plate It is centrally apertured and forms a. ring which is of a radial width substantially greater than the collar l3. Preferably, both the collar and the bottom plate are curved and define between them an annular passage l1 extending upwardly and outwardly and finally downwardly, the collar being disposed substantially centrally'of the bottom plate I. Thus the inner peripheral edge of the plate H is spaced inwardly of the neck 12. a substantial distance so that a column of air ascending through the neck will be divided, the outer peripheral portion thereof passing through the passage I1 and the in its passage downwardly from the unit. In the present instance this means comprises (Fig. 4) a pair of diametrically opposed brackets l8, respectively secured at their upper and lower ends to the bottom plate 14 of the superstructure and to the collar l3. Additionally, arcuate baflle plates 2i are disposed diametrically opposite with their ends spaced from the brackets 19 and having their lower edges cut away near opposite ends to form air passages 22. Also, one or more holes 23 are preferably formed in the baffle members 2| according to the volume of air to be discharged through the passage I1 and the degree of diffusion desired.

Within the bonnet H is formed a chamber 28 into which the central portion of the ascending column of air is received for discharge horizontally outward through apertures 25, there being two such apertures in the present instance disposed in diametrically opposite sides of the conical side wall l6. To assist in directing the air entering said chamber upwardly and outwardly to the openings 25, the bonnet preferably includes an upwardly and outwardly sloping ring 26 secured at its lower inner edge to the inner portion of the bottom plate I and having its upper edge portion shaped to form an upwardly convex flange 21 suitably fastened. to the conical side wall 18. As shown in Fig. 5, the upper convex surface of this flange defines the lower margins of the discharge openings 25. Also, the ring 26 coacts with the lower portion of the conical side wall IE to form an inverted V-shaped annulus serving to reinforce and strengthen the bonnet structure.

For the purpose of causing the air discharging from the openings 25 to be directed horizontally outward in compact streams, I provide in the upper portion of the chamber 24 a control plate 28. This plate is disposed in underlying relation to the imperforate top plate I5 and substantially midway between this top plate and the upper convex surface 21 defining the lower edges of the apertures 25. It is centrally apertured to provide a central opening 29 so that a portion of the ascending central column of air is discharged upwardly and outwardly through a lower passage 25 formed between the control plate 28 and the directing ring 26, and the other portion is discharged outwardly through an upper passage 2.") between the imperforate top plate l5 and the control plate 28.

As best shown in Fig. 2 the units are positioned relative to the spin hoods with the center lines of the brackets IQ of each unit positioned substantially on the center lines of the hoods. These brackets thus constitute baflies or separators dividing the lower air stream discharging from the annular passage l'l into two portions respectively directed toward opposite sides of the hoods. The arcuate bafiie plates 2| serve to retard the air in its discharge downwardly from the unit. At the same time these streams of air are controlled and directed so as to form in effect-blankets of air B descending slowly over the doors D, the velocity due to the retarding eifect above referred to being sufliciently low, for example, one hundred feet per minute, as to negative any aspirating effect upon the gases within the hoods. These blankets of air have a tendency to adhere to the sides of the hood and, being relatively cool, oppose the tendency of the warm gases within the hoods to emerge outwardly even though one or more doors maybe opened. It has been found that in this way the escape of injurious gases from the hoods is eflectualLv prevented.

In supplying air to the central portion oi the space between the machines it is very desirable to avoid or reduce to a minimum the aspiration of air from the space within the building above the machines inasmuch as the air in this space is of relatively high temperature and-may .be contaminated. To this end the air is discharged generally horizontally in compact streams as close to the tops of the hoods as possible. Also it is of primary importance that these horizontally discharging streams shall not'in any way disturb the air blankets directed downwardly over the sides ,of-the hoods. These results are accomplished effectually in the present instance by the control plate 28 in cooperation with the imperg foratetop plate l5 of each terminal unit and with the lower inclined directing ring 26., Thus with the arrangement shown the divided streams issuother hand, the portion of the air discharging from each of the upper passages has a tendency to descend. This latter result appears to be contrary to normal expectation but experience has shown that it is actually accomplished. It is apparently due to the fact that the broad upper surface'of the control plate 28 offers less resistance to the flow of air than does the ambient air in the region B. (Fig. 5) immediately beyond the edge of the top plate l5. Thus the lower. por-; 'tion ofthe uppermost'air stream has a substantially greater velocity than the upper portion, and as an incident to the retarding effect produced by the ambient air, a gradual downwardmotion is imparted thereto with the result that the entire upper stream is bent or deflected downwardlyv against the lower stream ,issuing upwardly be-. neath the plate.

rayon and comprising a plurality of elongated hoods'arranged in spaced parallel relation with doors in the sides of the hoods; which method comprises directing a slowlymoving blanket oi. air downwardlyover said doors, and discharging separate streams of air at a relatively high veloci-ty laterally outward .from the tops offsaid hoods so as to cause the streams moving in opposite directions to impinge upon each other and gravitate into the space between said hoods.

. 2. method of controlling the supply of cool air relative to anelongated hood of the character set forth, which comprises conducting a supply of air under pressure through a passageway extending-along the top of the hood, directing blankets of air from said passagewa downwardly over the sides of the hood and at arelatively low velocity to avoid aspiration of. injurious gases outwardly from withlnthe hood, and discharging other streams'of air from said passageway laterally "outward at a relatively high velocity and spaced from said blankets of air so as'to avoid disturbance of the latter. a

3. The method of controlling the supply of cool air relative to elongated hoods in machines of the type set forth. which method comprises directing a slowly moving body of air downwardly over the sides of the hoods at each of a plurality of spaced points along and immediately above the hoods, anddischarg'ing separate streams of air horizontall outward at points spaced along the hood and also spaced from said downwardly directed streams of air.

4. The method of controlling thesupply of cool air to the sides of an elongated spin hood having upright side walls'with doors therein, which 'comprises maintaining a source of air under pressure along the top of the hood, and discharging air from said source'down'wardly over the outer sides of the hood and at relatively low velocity to avoid aspiration of injurious gases outwardly from with- As will, 'be observedin 5, the d scharge; openings 25 are disposed in the upper portion of.

each of the terminalunits'and therefore in spaced relation to the downwardly facing outer ends of,-

the annular passage ll. Moreover, theair discharging throughthe lower passages 25" has an in the hood. i

5. Themeth-od of distributing air relative to the spin hoods of a rayon machine or the like to condition the spaces adjacent to and between the hoods, which comprises conducting a supply of cool air under pressure'throu-gha passage extending along the topof the hood, causing the v discharge of a body of air upwardly from said passage at each. of a plurality :of spaced points along the hoods, dividing theupwardly moving initial upward direction. .Thus anytendency v for the upper air stream moving outwardat high velocity to interfere with the downward-flowof a slowly moving body of air over the doors Dlisefiectually prevented.

As shown in Fig; 1. the terminal-units of the two machines are positionedso ,that'the horizon-- tally discharging air streams meet substantially I midway' between the machines so that any re-' maining energy contained in the separate streams v is dissipated as an incident to the impingement of the two streams upon each other, whereupon the airis permitted to descend by gravity into the space centrally of thetwo machines. This arrangement is advantageous in thatit interrupts the travel: of each of the horizontally moving streams before it can impinge upon the side wall of the opposite machine and thereby disturb the I claim as myinvention: I

' body of air. descending slowly along such wall.

1. The method of controlling the supply and distribution of cool air relative to machines of the type employed in the continuous manufacture of body of air at each of said points into a central column and an outer concentric annular, column,

',directing the outer annular column downwardly in the'form of a blanket over the side of the hood and at a velocity, sufliciently slow to avoid the aspiration of gases within thehood, and discharging the central column of air outwardly in a generally horizontal direction away from the hood.

6. An air distributing system for rayon spinning machines of the type having a'plurality of spin hoods arranged in parallel rows with doors in the sides of the hoods, comprising, in combination, an air supply ductextending along the top of each hood, and a plurality of distributing outlets at spaced points alongsaid duct, each of said outletscomprisingmeans for directing a body of air downwardly over said side doors and at a velocity such as to negative aspiration of gases within the hood, and means for discharging streams of cool air "into a generally horizontal' direction away from the tops of the hoods and ate. relatively high velocity.-

" 7. In an air distributing system for elongated spln hoods oi the type employed in continuous rayon machines, the combination of an elongated duct extending along the top of the hood and communicating with a source of air ,under pressure, means for directing a continuous flow of air from said duct downwardly over each side or the hood and in close proximity thereto but at a rate in- I access to the interior of the hood, comprising,

in combination, an air supply duct extending along the top of the'hood. and a plurality of distributing outlets at spaced points along said duct each having means for directing a blanket of cool air downwardly over said doors and at a velocity insuiilcient to aspirate the gases within the hood.

9. The combination with an elongated hood having upright side walls with openings therein and doors closing said openings, an air distributing terminal unit mounted at the top of said hood and comprising a base member defining an upright throat communicating at its lower end with a source oi air under pressure and a bonnet mounted on said base member and coacting therewith to define an outwardly and downwardly extending passage adapted to direct air downwardly along the sides of said hoods over said doors and at a relatively low velocity, said bonnet further comprising means defining a chamber communicating at its-lower end with the upper end of said throat centrally thereof, said chamber having a top wall, an upwardly and outwardly inclined deflecting ring, discharge openings in opposite sides of said chamber above said ring, and a control plate interposed between said top wall and said deflector ring and wanting therewith to direct air. entering said chamber in compact streams outwardly away from the hood.

10. The combination with a horizontally disposed air duct, of an air diiiusing terminal having a base member comprising a neck portion and a collar extending outwardly from the neck portion, said duct having an-opening therein with which said neck portion communicates, and a bonnet mounted on said base member and comprising a centrally apertured bottom plate supported above and in spaced relation to said collar of the base member and of a radial width substantially greater than the collar, with the inner edge of the bottom plate spaced inwardly from the collar, a flat imperforate top plate, and a control plate underlying the top plate in spaced relation thereto and having a central aperture for the passage of air upwardly and outwardly between the top plate and the control plate, said control plate having its outer edge extending substantially beyond the outer edge of the top plate.

11. The combination with a horizontally disposed air duct, of an air diiiusing terminal having a base member comprising a neck portion and a collar extending outwardly from the neck portion, said duct having an opening therein with which said neck portion communicates, and a bonnet mounted on said base member and comprising a centrally apertured bottom plate supported above and in spaced relation to said collar of the basemember and 01' a radial width aseasos substantially greater than the collar, with the inner edge of the bottom plate spaced inwardly from the collar, a fiat imperioratetop plate, a

control plate underlying the top plate in spaced 5 relation thereto and having a central aperture 'i'or the passage of air upwardly and outwardly between the top plate and the control plate, said control plate having its outer edge extending substantially beyond the outer edge of the top plate, and an inverted V-shaped annulus on said bottom plate having its upper edge portion spaced downwardly and outwardly from said control plate for the passage of air outwardly between it and the control plate.

12. An air diffusing terminal comprising, in combination with a horizontally disposed air duct having an opening therein, a base member comprising an annular neck portion communicating with said opening and a collar extending outwardly from the upper end oi said neck portion, and a irusto-conicel bonnet mounted on said base member and comprising a bottom plate supported in spaced relation to said collar and cooperating therewith to define an annular outlet passage, said bottom plate having a central aperture therein disposed with its edge spaced a substantial distance inwardly from said neck portion, on imperforate top plate, a conical side wall extending from the edge of said top plate downwardly to the outer peripheral edge of said bottom plate, said side wall having diametrically opposed air discharge apertures therein, a defiecting ring mounted upon said bottom plate and extending upwardly and outwardly to said conical side wall adjacent the lower edges of said discharge apertures, and a centrally apertured control plate of substantial radial width positioned to bisect the said discharge apertures. said control plate having its outer peripheral edge secured to said conical side wall.

13. An air difl'using terminal comprising a I base member having an annular upright neck portion, a collar extending outwardly from the upper end of the neck portion, means defining a chamber having a central opening in-its lower side of a diameter substantially less than said neck portion, said chamber having a conical side wall with discharge apertures in its upper portion, a bottom plate spaced above said collar and an annular ring extending upwardly and outwardly. from the inner edge of the bottom plate to the lower edges of said discharge apertures, said ring having its upper edge portion secured to the conical side wall above said bottom plate.

14. An air difiusing terminal comprising, in combination, means defining a vertical threat for the passage of air upwardly from a duct or the like, means defining a chamber having a bot-- tom wall with a central opening therein and extendin upwardly and outwardly from the plane of said opening, said chamber further having an imperforate top wall and a conical side wall with a discharge aperture therein, and a centrally apertured plate underlying said imperiorate top plate in spaced relation thereto and providing a control surface coacting with said top plate to direct the flow of air discharging outwardly from said aperture.

15.'An air diiiusing terminal comprising, in combination, means including an annular momber defining a vertical throat for the passage of air upwardly from a duct or the like, means defining a chamber having a bottom wall with a central opening therein and extending upwardly and outwardly from the plane of said opening,

said chamber further having an imperiorate top wall and a conical side wall with a discharge aperture therein, and a centrally apertured plate underlying said imperforate top plate in spaced relation thereto and providing a control surface coacting with said top plate to direct the flow of air discharging outwardly from said aperture, said bottom wall being spaced from said annular member and coactlng therewith to deline a lower air discharge passage;

16. An air difiusing terminal comprising, in combination, means defining a vertical throat for the passage of air upwardly from a duct or the like, and a superstructure having an imperiorate top plate, a conical side wall, and means cooperating with said top plate and side wall to define a chamber having a bottom wall with a central opening communicating with said throat, said chamber having a discharge aperture in said conical side wall, and a control plate mounted in said chamber and positioned to bisect said aperture at the inner side thereof, said control plate havinga central opening for the passage of air upwardly and outwardly between the top plate and the control plate.

17. An air diffusion terminal comprising a base member having an annular upright portion forming a passage for the flow of an ascending column of air, an upwardly convex annular member supported above said base member in spaced relation thereto and cooperating therewith to form an outwardly. and downwardly extending passage for discharging a portion of the air stream outwardly and downwardly, and means including an imperforate top plate and a conical side wall coacting with said annular member to define a chamber open at its lower end to receive the central portion or said column of air, said conical side wall having an opening therein for the passsage or air outwardly from the upper portion of said chamber, and an annular member underlying said top plate in spaced relation thereto and providing a flat top surface or substantial area extending outwardly substantially beyond the edge oi the top plate.

18. An air distributing terminal comprising, in combination, a chamber having a bottom'plate, an upper plate and a conical side wall with discharge apertures therein, one of said plates having a central opening therein for the passage of air vertically into the chamber, and a control plate underlying the upper plate in spaced relation thereto and bisecting said discharge-apertures, said control plate projecting outwardly substantially beyond the upper plate.

19. An air distributing terminal comprising, in

ecombinaiton, a bonnet having a lower wall with a central opening therein for the passage of a rising body of air under pressure, an imperforate top wall, and a control plate disposed between said top and bottom walls and having a central aperture therein, said bottom wall coop-.

crating with said control plate to direct a portion of the air outwardly and upwardly, and said top wall having its outer edge terminating substantially inward oi the outer edge of the control plate and cooperating therewith to discharge the remaining portion or the air outwardly and downwardly whereby the two discharging air streams converge in a substantially horizontal stream.

20. An air supply'apparatus for a rayon machine or the like having a hood equipped with side doors for access to the interior thereof, and exhaust means for carrying oiT fumes from within the hood; said supply apparatus comprising a supply duct having outlet means, said outlet means being disposed to direct a blanket of air across each 01' the door openings and-in a plane substantially parallel to the face of the hood containing said openings externally of the hood and at a velocity insuflicient to aspirate the ases within the hood.

WALTER W. Kl lNNlilDY. 

